A New Life
by GirlyGeek
Summary: Anders and Artemis Hawke live their life together after the events in Kirkwall. (I decided to put Trust Me, Ours, and Child of the Fade together in one place...because I'm OCD like that, lol)
1. Trust Me

I don't own anything pertaining to Dragon Age...unfortunately :(

* * *

><p><strong>Trust Me<strong>

* * *

><p>Anders started and turned towards the mouth of the cave in which he and Artemis had chosen as their shelter for the night in the face of what was looking to be a nasty storm once the rain began. His hand flew to his staff in anticipation of having to face off against mercenaries, bandits, or even Templars, but he relaxed immediately when he saw the familiar form of Artemis entering the cave. Slowly letting out the breath he had been holding, Anders allowed a small smile to play over his lips as he watched his beloved rogue approach. Dressed in her Champion leathers that hugged and emphasized her curves while the massive bow her father had created all those years ago loomed visibly up behind her from its place on her back, Artemis managed to be both the picture of femininity and lethality. It was an odd combination, but the rogue wore it well.<p>

"Success?" Anders asked.

Artemis held up two dead rabbits as her answer as she approached.

"My mighty huntress," Anders said softly with a small smile that faltered around the edges. "I was growing worried. The storm looked as though it would start at any moment, and you still hadn't returned..."

Artemis gave Anders a small smile. "It would take more than a storm to stop me," she said as she knelt beside the fire. "And with me having to only hunt for the two of us, it takes me less time." There was a loud clap of thunder as she placed the rabbits in the cave floor and slipped her bow from her back. "Thank you for keeping the fire going. I have a feeling we'll need the warmth tonight," she said as rain began pouring almost violently from the sky.

Anders watched Artemis silently for a few moments as she began skinning the rabbits once she had seated herself comfortably. "Do you miss the others?" he asked softly at last.

Artemis sighed softly as she worked. "I do," she answered with a small nod. "But I believe they're alright. Isabella has Fenris to watch her back, Bethany took Merrill with her to see if she could be accepted into the Wardens, so I know the Templars can't touch either of them." She finished skinning one rabbit and skewered it before moving onto the other. "And Varric and Avaline can hardly be blamed for fighting against a woman who had been so driven mad as to turn on her own men. But yes...I miss them all." She sighed softly. "But splitting up like this was the only way to assure that they all remained safe. There was less of a chance for them to be hunted if we scattered..."

"Because of _me_," Anders said softly.

Artemis said nothing but skewered the other rabbit. Since their escape from Kirkwall, there had been a wall between her and Anders. While she still loved Anders fiercely, Artemis was also deeply conflicted over everything that her lover had done; and while she had taken great pains to remain silent on the matter in order to avoid the two of them turning on each other in their time of trial, the conflict manifested itself in other ways. She had not allowed Anders into her bedroll, and Artemis practically shrank away from even his smallest touch. For all the love she felt for her beloved apostate, Artemis was having difficulty coming to terms with the massive act of murder Anders had committed. It was as though Anders had split into two separate men...one who was gentle, loving, and selfless while the other was detached, cold and calculating. Since that night, Artemis had been struggling to put the two halves of Anders back together in her mind, but she had no luck in her endeavor. The blind trust she had once had in Anders was gone...

And yet, she could not bear to be apart from him.

For all her inner conflict, Artemis still loved Anders with every fiber of her being. She could not imagine her life without him, and all she wanted to do since they had left Kirkwall together was throw her arms tightly around her beloved and tell him that she would never leave his side. But how could she when Anders seemed so changed from the man she loved so fiercely?

To his credit, Anders had not said anything in regards to the nearly tangible wall that had arisen between Artemis and himself. He knew that his actions had shaken his beloved to her core. But after almost two weeks of not knowing just _where_ he stood with her, he could feel whatever hope he had left for their future together waning away. For nearly two weeks, Artemis shrank from him whenever he drew close to her or tried to touch her; yet, she always raced to his defense whenever they came under attack by darkspawn or bandits. Anders knew he would have to find some way to end this strained, awkward dance of theirs.

But how?

Feeling Anders' gaze upon her as she stirred the coals of the fire, Artemis turned her face towards him. "What is it?" she asked softly.

"I always knew you were remarkable, my love..." Anders answered softly as he chose his words carefully-searching for some way to prompt some sort of answer from the woman he loved. "But never until _that_ night did I realize just _how_ remarkable you really are."

Artemis turned her gaze back to the fire then placed the two rabbits upon the spit.

"You let me live..." Anders continued softly. "Not only _that_, but...you _stayed_ with me," he added in awe. "Even if you hadn't killed me...I didn't think you would let me stay with you...that you would stay by my side when others would have thrown me to the wolves."

Artemis stilled in her movements. "Do you really think so little of me as to think me capable of killing the man I love?" she asked softly.

Anders blinked in surprise, but his eyes betrayed the glimmer of help he felt at Artemis' admission of love. "Think little of you? _Never_. Why would you even suggest such a thing, my darling?"

"Because you _do_," Artemis answered in a sad, matter-of-fact tone. "Or else, you wouldn't have lied to me and put me in such a position. You're the love of my life, Anders...not _once_have I lied to you. Not _once_." She bit her bottom lip. "I _never_ held anything back from you."

"I lied to you in order to _protect_ you," Anders said earnestly. "Keeping you in the dark was the _only_ way to ensure that _you_ would not be blamed for _my_ actions. I lied to you because I couldn't bear the thought of _you_ being at Meredith's mercy. I lied to you because I _love_ you, Artemis."

"Then you should have trusted me," Artemis said as she turned her gaze to Anders to reveal the tears trailing down her cheeks. "From the very beginning, I have done nothing _but_trust you in _every _aspect of my life. You should have allowed me the same courtesy and trusted me to find another way to solve the problem. I _always_ find other ways to solve problems...you should have _trusted_ me."

It broke Anders' heart to see Artemis cry-especially since it happened so rarely. His beloved rogue was always so light of heart, and wry to the point of being flippant. It never seemed as though anything truly got her down. For the most part, Artemis was like a duck-letting her troubles roll off her like drops water. The last time, Anders had seen his beloved cry was the night of her mother's death, and that reality only spoke volumes as to just how much Artemis was hurting at the present moment. "My love...there _was_ no other way," Anders said softly...sadly.

Artemis gave a small shake of her head. "There is _always_ another way," she said in a soft but firm voice. "All those people you murdered...they didn't _have_ to die. You didn't _have_ to kill them, but you _did_. All those innocent people who never did _anything_ to you...and you murdered them." She bit her bottom lip. "What's to stop you from doing the same thing to me?" she asked in a whisper.

Anders' eyes widened and his jaw dropped in disbelief. "What? How could you even _think_ to ask me that?" he asked incredulously.

Artemis' eyes were sad as she gazed at Anders. "Because, if you were able to kill all those innocent people who had never done a thing to you...what's to stop you from killing _me_ if I do or say something that you don't like?" She held up a hand to silence Anders when he opened his mouth to speak. "If you...the kindest, gentlest and most selfless man I have ever known could so easily kill that many innocent people, how do I know that you won't cross that line with _me_ one day?"

Anders reached across the space that separated Artemis and himself, and gripped his beloved's arm. "I am _still_ that man, my love," he said fervently. "I am _still_ the man you fell in love with."

"_Are_ you?" Artemis asked.

"You _have_ to know that I am," Anders entreated as he shifted closer to his lover so he was able to gently grip her other arm with his other hand. "Artemis...my darling, my beloved...I love you _so_ fiercely. What I did that night...was for _us_, and others _like_ us. It was for every mageling torn from their parents, and for every mage denied the warmth that comes from finding love in the arms of another." His eyes begged for Artemis to understand. "Think of your parents and what _they_ went through in order to be together...and is your father so very different from me? For Maker's sake, he resorted to Blood Magic to keep your mother, and by default, _you_, safe from the Wardens."

"Don't you _dare_ bring my parents into this," Artemis growled. "This isn't about _them_."

"It _is_," Anders said emphatically. "Because we _are_ them, sweetheart. _I_ am a mage like your father was, and _you_ are like your mother... you dared to fall in love with a mage, and it cost you _everything_ just as it did _her_. It wasn't fair to _them_ to be punished and ridiculed for something as simple and beautiful as loving each other, and it's not fair to _us_. _All_ we ever did was love each other, Artemis. _All_ we ever wanted was a life together...but the Circle and the Templars would _never_ let that happen. They will _never_ let us be. So long as we live, they will hunt us. Even if I hadn't blown up the Chantry, we would still be hunted because of what I am. Would you wish this life upon others like us?" he asked sadly.

Artemis was silent for several moments before slowly breathing a sigh and even more slowly shaking her head before calling her head to hang. "No," she answered in a whisper.

"I know it's hard to understand, my love," Anders began softly while gently drawing Artemis into his embrace. "And I know it is a harsh truth to accept…but what I did _had _to happen. It _had _to be done. Wars cannot be won without bloodshed, and this is a war that has been brewing for quite some time. It _must_ be fought."

"I remember how we lived in constant fear of discovery back in Lothering," Artemis mused softly after several moments of silence as she nestled slowly into Anders. "Father and Bethany were always so careful to avoid detection, and it always pained me that they constantly had to be so guarded when outside the walls of our home...that they couldn't be free to simply be themselves."

Anders sighed softly and nuzzled the hair of Artemis' crimson bob. "Your father was fortunate to have remained free after his escape...as is your sister, for she cannot be touched now that she is part of the Wardens," he murmured. "I escaped and was dragged back to the Ferelden Circle seven times before I was finally successful in my attempts." His jaw tensed. "The last time I was brought back to the Circle, I was thrown into solitary confinement for an entire year," he said with an underlying growl. "Imagine it, my love...being locked in a cell that was barely bigger than a broom closet and completely devoid of light. If you were lucky, the Templars remembered you were there, and fed you once a day...if you were unlucky, you were forgotten and you starved to death." His arms tightened a bit around Artemis. "And always, there were the whispers of demons...tempting you into making a deal with them in exchange for your freedom. Many mages in solitary confinement _would_ in fact turn to Blood Magic out of sheer desperation...and the Templars would promptly cut them down. I believed and still do believe that the Templars used solitary confinement as an excuse to kill mages. Whether it was by starvation or execution in the event of possession or Blood Magic, it didn't matter." There was an underlying growl to Anders' voice. "It was a way for the more cruel and zealous Templars to exterminate mages under the guise of disciplinary action."

"It sounds truly horrible," Artemis whispered as her hands lightly gripped Anders' short jacket. "But it only speaks to your inner strength that you survived that ordeal without resulting to Blood Magic," she murmured-unable to help the swell of pride she felt for her renegade mage.

Anders smiled and rested his head upon Artemis'. "I _had_ to be strong, my love. I knew that something wonderful was waiting for me." He brushed a loving kiss to Artemis' forehead before gently tilting her face up to his. "I was _right_," he murmured before tentatively pressing his lips against hers. His heart fluttered when Artemis kissed him back. "You and your love are _wonderful_ gifts from the Maker, my most precious beloved," he whispered fervently against Artemis' lips once the kiss had broken. He could feel the wall between them crumbling away, and he slowly slid his hands up to gently tangle into Artemis' hair. "The Maker truly smiled when he created you..." He kissed her again.

Artemis instinctively parted her lips for Anders when she felt his tongue brush tentatively against them in a silent bid for permission to enter, and she shivered with a soft moan as her tongue brushed against her beloved's. She could already feel her arousal growing-her body responding to every brush of Anders' tongue and every caress of his fingers. Clinging to him with one hand, she released his golden hair from its tie with the other and tangled her fingers into those soft tresses. She could feel the weeks' worth of tension roiling within her and looking for an escape, and her womb ached almost painfully for want of being reunited with Anders.

Anders shuddered and moaned softly in delight as Artemis' fingers brushed against his scalp-his heart racing with joy as he felt his beloved opening her heart to him once more. "My love..." he murmured once the kiss had broken. "My beautiful beloved..." He nuzzled along the graceful curve of Artemis' jaw. "My lifeline..." He reverently nuzzled and kissed Artemis' pulse and smiled when his lover gasped softly in delight. Raising his head so his eyes met his lover's, Anders gazed deeply into Artemis' luminous, green eyes. "My reason for living..." His kiss was hungry this time-channeling every ounce of love, adoration and need into it.

Within moments of the kiss' start, both Anders and Artemis were tearing at each other's clothing-their fingers desperate to remove the barriers that kept their bodies apart even as their lips seemed to fuse together. Not even as they shifted positions every so often to aid in the removal of a boot or trouser leg did their lips part for more than a heartbeat. When they had finally stripped each other of their final stitch of clothing, they lay in a tangle of arms and legs on the floor of the cave. Artemis' whimpers created a unique harmony with Anders' moans as their mouths and fingers knowingly sought out the secret, sensitive places on each other's bodies that only _they_ knew about.

Though it had only been a little over a week since they had last made love-thinking he would not survive blowing up the Chantry, Anders had initiated a long and extremely passionate lovemaking session the morning of the incident upon awakening form his slumber-it felt like ages to the renegade mage, and every time his aching, throbbing length brushed against Artemis' silken skin, pleasured groans escaped Anders' lips. "Artemis..." he whispered earnestly as he gently pushed his lover onto her back and got on top of her. "My beloved...I _need_ you," he whispered-desperate to reestablish the bond and connection between Artemis and himself.

Artemis' body quivered in desperate want, and wetness pooled between her legs as she gazed up at Anders through half-lidded eyes—her legs beginning to spread eagerly for the renegade mage. Her words of consent were on the tip of her tongue, but before she could utter them, the memory of the Chantry exploding flashed through her mind, and her expression changed from one of loving lust to wide-eyed fear.

Anders felt his heart slow. "Artemis? My love?"

Artemis' bottom lip trembled. "I...I can't," she whispered.

Anders slowly let out a breath. "Why not?" he asked in a choked voice as he sat back on his heels-his erect manhood softening. "Do you not love me anymore? Artemis, I cannot take this anymore…the not knowing where I stand with you. If you no longer love me or wish to be with me, then please, Artemis...please just tell me now." His eyes were sad.

Artemis' eyes widened, and she sat up. "No! Anders, I _do_ love you. _Never_ doubt that."

"Then what is it?" Anders asked softly. "Why do you shy away from me _now_?"

"It's just..." Artemis bit her bottom lip

"It's just _what_?" Anders prompted gently.

"Whenever I look at you since leaving Kirkwall...I see _two_ men," Artemis said softly. "I see the gentle, loving man that I adore and would readily lay down my life for...but then I also see a man who would readily murder innocent people." She closed her eyes in attempts to stop the tears from rolling down her face, but one escaped in any case. "And for all my efforts, I can't put the two halves of you back together in my mind."

Anders leaned forward and lightly brushed the backs of his knuckles over Artemis' cheek. "They are both me, my love." He gently wiped away the tear on his lover's cheek. "They are both halves of the same whole...and both halves would readily sacrifice _everything_ for you. _Neither_ half would ever harm you, my love."

"I know," Artemis whispered. "My heart knows that. My heart knows _all_ of that to be true...as does my body. But my head is another matter entirely," she added while hanging her head-another tear escaping and rolling down her cheek. "My mind can't come to terms with the man I love more than my own life being capable of such an atrocity, and whenever I look at you…the image I once had of you is shattered."

Anders was silent in thought for several moments before an idea came to him reaching into a nearby satchel, he drew out a scrap of cloth before reaching forward and placing the cloth over Artemis' eyes.

Artemis drew back and opened her eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Asking you to trust me," Anders answered softly with earnest eyes. "I have an idea to help you end the internal war between your head and your heart...but you _have_ to trust me, my love. _Please..._trust me."

Artemis was silent for a moment. "And if at any point, I ask you to stop?" she asked softly.

"I _will_ stop. You have my word," Anders promised fervently. "Not once have I _ever_ harmed you, Artemis. I'm not about to start now."

After a few moments, Artemis gave a small nod then closed her eyes so Anders could blindfold her.

Anders let out a breath he had not realized he had been holding, and smiled softly as he gently fastened the cloth over Artemis' eyes. "Thank you..." he whispered before kissing his beloved tenderly and slowly easing her down onto her back once more. "Thank you, my love." He kissed her again, deeply this time, as his fingers brushed lightly over her collar bone before trailing down and brushing over his lover's nipples. He smiled into the kiss as Artemis' nipples hardened into small peaks under his attentions, and his softened length began growing hard and erect once more. He broke the kiss so he could nuzzle Artemis' ear, and he gave it a small nibble. "Remember all the times we made love, my beloved rogue," he murmured as his fingers continued downward. "Remember all those nights I made you weep with pleasure before cradling your trembling body in my arms as you drifted off to sleep."

A shiver coursed through Artemis' body and she whimpered wantonly as Anders' fingers brushed over her vulnerable core. "I remember... " she whispered as her hips rose into Anders' touch of their own volition.

Anders' eyes fluttered closed as two of his fingers dipped gently into Artemis' molten core, and a low groan of longing escaped him as his fingers became coated in her juices. "Maker..." he whispered as he salivated involuntarily at the memory of how Artemis tasted. "Remember how I would lavish attention upon you with my fingers...and my tongue until you begged for me to take you," he whispered before slowly tracing his tongue over the shell of Artemis' ear as his two fingers began to slide in an out of her with slow, deliberate strokes—his thumb rubbing against her sensitive nub. "And with you being tied to the bedposts, you were powerless to do anything else but be my captive until I decided you had been teased enough. He bit his bottom lip as Artemis moaned and spread her trembling legs for him. "Maker, how I loved delving my tongue deeply into you...lapping at your sweet nectar until you wept in ecstasy. Even now, I long to taste you..." he murmured with an underlying growl as he drew his fingers out of his lover and brought them to his mouth where he slowly licked them clean with a groan as his eyes all but rolled into the back of his head.

"Anders... " Artemis whimpered desperately-feeling bereft the moment her lover drew out of her. Having had a total of two lovers before Anders, Artemis was honestly able to say that Anders was the only man to reduce her to a cluster of raw nerves like this. Having always been the dominant one in her previous relationships, it still never ceased to amaze her how natural it had felt for her to assume the submissive role with Anders when they first embarked upon their intimate relationship-willingly leaving herself entirely to his whims and mercy both in the bedroom as well as out.

Why else would she have so willingly played into his scheme with the Chantry when her every instinct screamed at her not to? That had been the first time Anders had abused the power he had in their relationship. But at that moment, with Anders reminding not only Artemis' head but her body as well of just how much they loved, needed, and completed each other, Artemis found herself more than willing to forgive him.

"Anders..._please_...!" This _was_ however the first time Anders had blindfolded her, and Artemis found that it heightened her pleasure.

"Does my lovely rogue want something?" Anders purred into Artemis' ear.

"_You_," Artemis whimpered plaintively as she turned her blindfolded gaze towards her lover. "I want _you_. I _need_ you...!"

Anders slowly shifted so he was positioned on top of Artemis, and lightly brushed the head of his aching length against Artemis' molten core. He kept his hips raised just enough to keep himself from pushing into Artemis-smiling as his lover raised her hips in attempts to bring him into her. Instead of appeasing her, he slid his hands up to grab Artemis' wrists and firmly pin them above her head. While they were in possession of rope, Anders had nothing to which he could secure Artemis' wrists and ankles, so he would have to improvise. "Say it again," he said firmly.

"I _need_ you, Anders," Artemis whimpered desperately. "I need you...!"

Anders claimed Artemis' lips in a deep, hungry kiss as he pushed into her to the hilt-his delighted groan mingling with his beloved's stifled cry of pleasure. He sighed contentedly into the kiss as Artemis wrapped her long legs around his waist, and simply reveled in the pleasure that only came from being encased within his lover at last. As aroused as they both were, he knew they would not last long, and he wanted to savor every moment of pleasure while he could. Slowly breaking the kiss, he lightly rubbed his nose against Artemis' before leaning down to nuzzle her ear as he thrust into her with long, deliberate strokes. "My love, remember me..._know_ me as the man who remains _ever_ faithful to you. _Trust_ in me and know that I would _never_ harm you," he murmured fervently into Artemis' ear before gently nibbling her earlobe. "Trust me." He kissed his beloved heatedly and his hands tightened their grip upon Artemis' wrists.

Artemis' legs tightened around Anders in an attempt to keep him deeply inside of her, and she moaned into the kiss while arching her back in building euphoria. "I love you," she whimpered earnestly once her lips were free. "I love you, Anders."

"Do you trust me?" Anders asked while hardening his thrusts just a little.

"Yes!" Artemis cried emphatically before her breath hitched in her throat.

"Say it," Anders growled softly into Artemis' ear. "_Say_ it…!"

"I trust you," Artemis declared earnestly. "I trust you, Anders."

Shifting his hands so he now gripped Artemis' wrists in one hand, Anders removed the blindfold from his beloved's eyes with the other and locked gazes with her. He knew all too well that his lover was close to that euphoric edge, and he wanted them to fall over that edge together. "Look at me," he ordered huskily as he quickened his thrusts and moved his free hand down to slide under Artemis' bottom and knowingly tilt her hips so his thrusts mercilessly hit his lover's inner-most pleasure point. "Look into my eyes and tell me that you trust me."

Artemis resisted the urge to close her eyes in pleasure as Anders drove her ever closer to the edge. "I love you, Anders," she cried in a high-pitched whimper-her nails digging into her palms in attempts to keep herself from falling into the euphoric abyss that awaited her. "I love you and I trust you with my life!" Anders released her wrists at that moment, and Artemis wasted no time in wrapping her arms around him.

Their joint cries of release echoed loudly through the cave, and Anders thrust wildly into Artemis until he had emptied the last of his seed into her eagerly waiting womb as she clung to him—her nails digging into his back. Once his beloved had milked him dry, Anders pillowed his head upon Artemis' breasts and allowed her to hold him as they both came down from their euphoric high. Though he panted, the renegade mage smiled blissfully as he basked in the afterglow and reveled in the fact that Artemis had come back to him.

"We should make our way to Tervinter," Anders said softly once he was able. Tightening his arms around Artemis, he gently shifted and turned them so they were lying on their sides. Still inside of her, he rested his forehead against hers. "It's the only place where we can be free to be together and live out the rest of our lives. The Templars and the Chantry can't hunt us there."

Artemis was silent for a few moments before nodding. "It _is_ the only option available to us. Hopefully we can buy passage on a ship without the Chantry being none the wiser, but Anders...Fenris said that Blood Magic is rampant in Tervinter...that it was the _only_ way for Magisters to get ahead."

"That won't happen to me, my love," Anders assured before softly kissing Artemis' soft, full lips. "I don't _want_ to get ahead. All I want is _you_. All I want is a quiet life with you...as normal a life as I can manage to give you."

Artemis smiled. "I suppose Justice _would_ complicate things a bit, but at least we can be married and live openly as husband and wife."

Anders smile was sad around the edges. "I don't know if I can give you a family, my darling. The Taint within me...it makes conceiving a child difficult at best. I...I simply don't want you to get your hopes up."

Artemis moved her hands to lovingly cup Anders' face. "If it happens, then it will be a blessing, and I can't think of a better man I would want as the father to my children...especially if they are born mages. But, my love, even if we don't manage to have children, I will _still_ love you, and I _will_ remain by your side until death parts us."

Anders' smile grew a fraction of an inch. "Do you really think I would make a good father?" he asked softly.

Artemis nodded and her smile remained in place. "I _do_, because I know that you would protect our child with a great ferocity. I know that if anything were to happen to me, that any children born to us be safe...and if they were born mages, I know that _you_ would guide them and teach them just as my father guided and taught Bethany."

Anders smile grew a little again, and he turned his face to the left and then the right just enough to allow him to kiss Artemis' palms. "I _would_." His expression became worried around the eyes. "You're not worried about Justice though? You're not worried that I would one day lose control and hurt our children the way I almost hurt Ella in the Mage Underground?"

Artemis' smile grew and she shook her head. "No," she answered in a soft but firm voice. "I know that you wouldn't harm _me_, and I _know_ that you would _never_ harm our children."

Anders' eyes warmed with his smile that was filled with love. "You have _no_ idea how much that level of trust means to me." He rested his forehead against Artemis' forehead. "I hope more than _anything_ that we are blessed with a child so I can prove to you every single day that your trust in me is not misplaced," he murmured before capturing Artemis' lips in a long, tender kiss. "I love you, sweetheart," he whispered as his arms tightened around his beloved so he could pull her on top of him as he shifted onto his back.

Artemis shivered in delight as she felt Anders grow hard inside of her, and she smiled while rubbing her nose lightly against his. "I love _you_, Anders," she whispered before sitting up and beginning to ride him. The rabbits were still cooking, so they would have time for more lovemaking. As the tempest raged on outside the cave, Artemis could not think of a better way to spend the night than reaffirming her bond with Anders, and her smile grew as her lover's hand moved to grip her hips and hold them down firmly against his upward thrusts. "I love you, and I will _never _distrust you again for as long as I live."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** If you're a fan of Dragon Age as well as of my writing, _please_ check out my newly-published novel, _Dragon Guardian: Fire_, the first novel in my Dragon Guardian series. The link for the website can be found on my profile page!


	2. Ours

I don't own anything pertaining to Dragon Age...unfortunately :(

* * *

><p><strong>Ours<strong>

* * *

><p><em>...Tevinter; seven months after escaping Kirkwall...<em>

Leaning with his hip resting against the doorway of the kitchen, Anders watched Artemis move about the space as she prepared their evening meal. If she was aware of his presence, she did not let on about it, and Anders was fine with that-content to simply watch his beloved wife perform the simple, domestic task.

Wife...

Even as he gazed down at the wedding ring on his finger, Anders still could not believe it..._any_ of it.

He still could not believe he was alive...that Artemis had spared his life in spite of what he had done, or that she had fled with him from the Free Marches to live a life with him in Tevinter. Now, she was his wife. His _wife_. The moment their ship had docked, their first order of business was getting married. Now that they were in land where mages were free of oppression, Anders could not wait another moment before making Artemis his in _every_ respect. He could not _wait_ to declare openly for _all_ to hear that he and Artemis were in love and that they would live out the rest of their days together as husband and wife.

And they were well on their way.

They were living freely as husband and wife in the house Artemis had purchased with the gold she had managed to take with her before they left Kirkwall. They had gotten it for a low price because it was in various states of disrepair, but Artemis and Anders both liked the idea of truly making the house into their home.

And so, they had done so.

Without fear of being torn apart by the Templars, they had worked tirelessly to turn the cold shell of a house into a warm, welcoming home. They had of course had help. Slaves were plentiful in Tevinter, but the refugee couple had purchased the few slaves they had used and then promptly set them free. They had considered keeping them on as paid servants, but thought that the employment of servants would be better left for when they established a means of fluid income. In any case, Artemis wanted to try managing the house herself without any servants. While it was only a little smaller than Amell ancestral mansion in Hightown, it was considered small by Magister standards. But that did not matter to them. What _did_ matter was that it belonged to the both of them from the smallest nail to the largest stone.

There was even a small coach house that Anders had turned into his clinic.

Spirit Healers were a rare thing in Tevinter because of the sheer amount of Magisters who either turned to Blood Magic or simply specialized in offensive spells in order to work their way up within the magocracy of their given city, so Anders had developed quite the clientele who were willing to pay very well for his services. It filled him with such a sense of pride to finally be able to provide for Artemis and take care of her after everything she had done for not only _him_, but for every _other_ person she had ever helped without thought of reward. It was now time for his beloved rogue to rest and be taken care of for once in her life, and Anders was finally in a position to make that happen.

Naturally, his doors were also open to those who could not afford to pay-slaves and the like-and while this caused more than a few eyebrows to be raised amongst the Magisters, they learned early on after Justice rose to Anders' defense when two Magisters took it upon themselves to show their disapproval of his selfless actions, to leave Anders to his business. The death of the two Magisters caused Anders to move up in the magocracy of their adopted city, but more importantly, the fact that he was possessed by so powerful a spirit earned him the respect of his peers. The Magisters no longer questioned what went on within the walls of his clinic after that day. But none of that mattered to Anders. All that mattered to him was his freedom to love Artemis openly and give her some semblance of normalcy. They were free to walk together in the daylight without fear-hand in hand as they went about the marketplaces buying food or other needed things.

Life for Anders and Artemis was good. It was a simple life. They had even started trying for a baby. But this new life had not been without its ups and downs. The Magisters had originally been slow to trust Anders once it was discovered that he was indeed an Abomination. The magocracy of their adopted city had watched Anders closely to see if he would prove an asset or need to be slain as countless Magisters had been during the ancient Imperium upon its conversion to the Andrastian Chantry. It was a period of great tension for Artemis and Anders-neither one knowing if and when they would have to cut and run from their new home. However, once it was determined that Anders was only a danger to the mages deemed as liabilities and 'loose cannons' by the Archon, the Magisters welcomed Anders fully into the fold.

It was such a strange feeling for Anders-being accepted...being free. Yet, as strange and surreal as it all felt, Anders could not deny that it felt _right_. He finally had everything he had ever wanted. He glanced at Artemis' flat belly. Well..._almost_ everything.

Clearing his throat, Anders stepped into the kitchen, and his smile grew when Artemis' gaze met his. Maker, how he loved her eyes! The emerald pools positioned so perfectly upon his beloved's beautiful face were framed by long, thick, lashes, and Anders loved simply gazing into them. "Whatever it is you're cooking, it smells wonderful, Missy my sweetheart."

Having paused in her chopping of vegetables, Artemis smiled at her husband as she watched him approach. It was such a change seeing her beloved Anders out of his worn tunic and trousers and instead in new, polished robes that befitted his new station—clean-shaven and looking altogether less scruffy. As different a look as it was for Anders, Artemis could not deny that it suited him. "I decided to try a new recipe," she answered. "I do hope you like it."

"Missy, you are a magnificent cook," Anders said while sliding his arms around Artemis' waist once he had reached her and drawing her close. "I have no doubt that it will be delicious."

Artemis nestled into Anders. "I never _did_ like it when my father called me that...but for some reason I don't mind hearing it from you. I wonder why that is," she mused absently.

Smiling, Anders leaned down and kissed his wife's lips tenderly. "One of life's mysteries, I suppose." He kissed her again. "You're wearing the new gown I had made for you, I see," he murmured against her lips once the kiss had ended.

"I love it," Artemis whispered with a smile. "Not just the purple color, but the freedom of movement," she said before stepping away from her husband and twirling to reveal the two hip-height slits in the skirt-and the subsequent, snug-fitting trousers and tall boots she wore beneath. Though the entire ensemble was elegant and lovely, the practicality of the skirt and footwear allowed for Artemis to leap into action should the need arise.

Ander's smile was warm and affectionate. "I knew you would like that feature. The dressmaker looked at me as though I were mad, but I told her that my wife needed a dress that was both practical as well as befitting of her beauty."

"Maybe I'll start a trend," Artemis said with a grin and a chuckle as she twirled again.

"If there's one thing I've learned since knowing you, sweetheart, it's that you are capable of just about _anything_, my love," Anders said with obvious pride before reaching out to his wife in silent invitation for her to come to him. Once she had, Anders pressed her close once more and claimed her lips in a more lingering kiss as his hands rested upon her enticing hips. Growling softly in response to Artemis' pleasured sigh, Anders slowly deepened the kiss and moved one hand to cup his wife's round, perfect bottom. "I want you," he murmured huskily against Artemis' soft lips. "Right _now_."

"Ready to try again after this morning, hmm?" Artemis teased with a grin before lightly nipping Anders' bottom lip-instantly rewarded with a low, aroused growl.

Anders grinned cheekily. "You know how the old saying goes, Missy...if at first you don't succeed, try, and try again." The hand he had resting on Artemis' bottom pressed forward and held the rogue captive against the bulge that pushed through Anders' robes. "And I am always ready to try with you, my love," he murmured huskily while slowly rocking his hips against Artemis. "My flesh and spirit will _always_ be strong and willing for you." He kissed her again.

"Not _here_," Artemis whispered against Anders' lips once the kiss broke. "Too many things here that will spill and make a mess." She grinned, and her eyes glimmered impishly. "Dining room? That big table is nice and sturdy..." she purred. "I've been itching to christen it like we did with other pieces of furniture..."

It was Anders' turn to grin. "I love the way you think, sweetheart," he murmured before gathering Artemis into his arms and kissing her as he walked-his heart swelling in male pride as his wife instantly wrapped her long legs around his waist. Upon reaching the table, Anders wasted no time in placing Artemis upon it and then settling himself on top of her.

Their lips scarcely left the other's as their hands busied themselves with removing the offending clothing that kept their skin from touching. Once they were down to their smallclothes, their hands became gentler and more reverent as they smoothed over each other's bodies. Anders' hands cupped Artemis' full breasts and teased her nipples through the fabric that covered them while Artemis lightly dragged her nails over Anders' stomach. His groan mingled with her whimper, and when Anders finally freed Artemis' breasts from their fabric prison, he wasted no time in nuzzling into them as his hands moved down to slide the final piece of fabric from Artemis' hips.

Anders groaned deeply in delight as Artemis' hand slid down to rub against his erection that was now straining painfully against his smallclothes. "Oh, my love..." He slid one hand down into the vulnerable juncture between his wife's legs, and shuddered in delight upon feeling her wet and ready for him. "My wife...my beautiful, perfect wife..." He was shifting his hips to help Artemis slide his smallclothes down, but he tensed when he felt a familiar buzzing in his head that signaled Justice was fighting for control. "No," he growled vehemently as he drew away from Artemis and turned his back on her. "No...!"

"What is it?" Artemis asked as she sat up. "Was it something I did?"

Anders vehemently shook his head as his length began softening. "No, my love. Believe me when I say that it's _not_ you. _You_ couldn't be more perfect," he said irritably.

"Then what is it?" Artemis asked worriedly. "Are you ill?"

"No," Anders said tersely. "It's Justice."

Artemis' eyes widened just a bit. "Maker's breath...what is he asking you to do _now_? I know we're living in a place where slavery is legal and accepted, but we _can't_ be on the run from the Templars _and_ the Magisters at the same time. There will be nowhere else for us to run except for Par Vollen, and I don't know how receptive and accepting the Qunari will be considering that I killed their Arishok. Whatever revolution he's trying to get you to instigate, you just tell him '_no_'. We have a wonderful life here, and I will _not_ let him ruin it."

"It's not that. He's..." Anders set his jaw. "He's trying to..."

Artemis shifted closer to her husband and gently rested a hand upon his back. "He's trying to _what_?"

Ander's angrily clenched his hands into fists and averted his eyes. "He's trying to..._join_ us," he said with an underlying growl.

Artemis blinked in mild confusion. "When you say he's trying to 'join' us...do you mean...?"

"Yes," Anders answered tersely. "He's been trying to take control of me every night this past week when you and I have made love. Those times, I was able to remain in control, but tonight...tonight he's simply too strong and determined. I _can't_ make love to you _and_ keep him at bay...not this time."

Artemis sat back on her heels. "I thought he didn't like me," she said simply.

"He's grown..._fond_ of you," Anders answered softly while returning his gaze to Artemis. "Sparing my life, siding with the mages when the odds were against us, running away to Tevinter with me, marrying me...he views you as a true ally now, but that's not the only reason for his change of heart as it were," Anders said while averting his gaze once more.

"What other reason is there?" Artemis asked curiously.

Anders slowly let out a breath. "As I have said before...he and I are intertwined. I cannot always tell where _he_ begins and _I_ end, and I believe that it works that way with him as well." He slowly shifted his gaze back to his beloved. "_My_ feelings for you are now _his_ feelings for you...as are my desires."

"I see," Artemis said softly while averting her gaze.

"But I _won't_ let him get what he wants," Anders said firmly while setting his jaw. "You are _mine_. _Not_ his..._mine_. You are _my_ wife, and I won't share you…not with him or anyone."

Artemis sighed softly after several moments of silent thought, and looked Anders directly in the eye. "Let him join us," she said simply.

Anders blinked and his jaw dropped. "What?" he asked in obvious shock. "Why would you-"

Artemis reached up and lightly touched a finger to Anders' lips to silence him. "Because you keep saying that you and Justice are one...that you're intertwined. By _that_ logic, to love you is to love _him_." She offered her beloved mage a cheeky smile. "Besides, if denying him this request means that you and I can never be intimate again, I'd say that allowing him into our lovemaking is a small price to pay, because I crave having you inside of me the way a Templar craves lyrium," she purred.

Though Anders chuckled softly, a small shiver nevertheless ran through him at his wife's admission.

Artemis lowered her finger and regarded Anders' seriously. "All levity aside, my love...I _love_ you. You are my husband, and I accept you for _everything_ that you are, and I would do anything for you."

"But _this_?" Anders asked softly while gazing deeply into Artemis' eyes. "My love...Missy, are you sure?"

Artemis nodded. "But I do have some ground rules I would like to put into place first before this goes any further." She nibbled her bottom lip in thought. "Is there a way I can talk to the both of you at the same time? I want to be sure you both hear what I have to say."

Anders nodded and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the left eye was the normal, warm amber shade that Artemis so loved, and the right was now the solid, white-blue. The left side of Anders' handsome face was perfectly normal, while the right was streaked with blue lines of Fade energy.

Artemis nervously cleared her throat. "Hello, Justice...it's been a while," she said with a shy smile.

"Indeed it has, Lady Hawke." As always, Justice's deep voice sounded alien as it came out of Anders' mouth.

Artemis laughed nervously. "Really, Justice...if we're going to be doing what it is that Anders told me you want, I think we can dispense with the formalities."

"As you wish...Artemis," Justice answered.

"Thank you," Artemis answered before softly clearing her throat again. "Now, then...before we do anything, I want to set some rules in place that I believe will make this...situation work smoothly for all of us. First of all, you are _not_ to take over Anders' body when he and I are being intimate. Second of all, if you _do_ join us while we are making love, it will _not_be unless you receive permission from the both of us, and it will be as you and Anders are now so _neither_ of you will be excluded. Anders is my husband, and that makes me _his_first and foremost without question here in the physical world. All of that being said..." An uncharacteristic blush colored Artemis' cheeks. "When I am asleep and dreaming...I am completely yours for the taking within the Fade. Do the both of you understand these rules as I've put them to you?"

"Yes." The voice that answered was an odd dual one as both Anders and Justice answered.

"Do you accept them and agree to follow them?" Artemis asked.

"Yes." Again, the odd, dual voice as both Anders and Justice answered together.

"Very well," Artemis answered before softly clearing her throat. "Anders...I would not mind if Justice were to join us right now, if you still wanted to continue, that is. I can understand if you're no longer in the mood. If you do wish to continue, the final decision rests with you, my love."

Anders was silent for several moments as he gazed down at the table. Then, he raised his gaze to Artemis and responded by leaning in and claiming her lips in a long, searching kiss as he tangled his fingers into her crimson hair. His tongue stroked hers languidly as he gently eased Artemis down onto her back once more and came to lie on top of her. His pelvis rested perfectly in the cradle of his wife's hips, and as the heat from her vulnerable core radiated against his flaccid member, he felt it hardening eagerly in anticipation-his hips rocking instinctively against his beloved.

Artemis moaned into the kiss and snaked her fingers up into Anders' golden hair to loosen it from its tie. She arched her back as her hips answered her husband's teasing thrusts with a rocking of their own, and her toes slowly trailed down the backs of Anders' legs. "Maker..." she whispered once Anders had broken the kiss to nibble his way down her throat. She gasped then whimpered softly, and a shiver of delight coursed through her when both her nipples came under the assault of Anders' thumbs. She cried out softly when Anders lightly bit the point where her neck met her shoulder, and she dug her nails into his shoulders before dragging them down his back. There was a primal intensity that there had never been before now that Justice had been added to the mix, and Artemis' heart raced wildly in her chest as her fingers toyed with the edges of Anders' smallclothes and began pushing them down. Much to her relief, her beloved shifted and raised his hips to help her in her endeavor even as he kissed, nuzzled, and nipped his way down the valley between her breasts. "Anders...Justice...!" she whimpered frantically. When her beloved raised his head and gazed down at her with those two different eyes that both burned with the intensity of their joint desire, Artemis felt as though her spin completely turned into liquid. "Maker's breath..." she managed to whisper before she was being kissed hungrily.

Justice could feel Anders' excitement, and it only served to kindle his own. After countless centuries of feeling nothing but burning righteousness, the swell of desire and lust was so overpowering. In Kirkwall, there was the revolution-the injustices dealt to the mages. The mages were in need of an advocate. Justice knew that the moment he merged with Anders back in Ferelden.

But now...

Now they were far away from Kirkwall and the war that had erupted. Anders was at peace now. The mage had everything he had ever wanted, and for the first time in his entire existence, Justice found himself without a purpose. That left him open...exposed to the full intensity of Anders' feelings for Artemis. They were _so_ strong, and Justice felt them _all_.

The desire that pooled within Anders' loins whenever he watched Artemis move, the jealousy he felt whenever the eyes of another lingered upon her for too long, the peaceful bliss that filled him from the simple act of holding her or resting with his head in her lap as she read aloud from a book...Justice felt it _all_. It was so alien and yet so _powerful_. He could not help but _want_ to be part of it now.

Inexperienced as he was in these matters, he was content to let Anders take the lead at the moment. How else would he know what to do when he sought Artemis out in her dreams? He felt Anders' fingers slip into Artemis' core, and he felt a thrill of excitement when the lovely rogue whimpered into the kiss and arched her back in delight.

When the kiss broke, Justice gazed down at Artemis and took in the sight of her flushed face...the way her full lips parted with desire as she gazed up at Anders and himself with half-lidded eyes. He felt Anders' heartbeat skip before racing once more, but that was nothing compared to the strange tingle he felt when Artemis' hands moved up to frame Anders' face.

"Take me," Artemis whispered earnestly-speaking to both Anders and Justice. Her legs were already spread wide in eager anticipation. "_Please_...take me. I _need_ to feel you inside of me...!"

Completely opened as he was to everything Anders was feeling at that moment Justice was unprepared for just how intense and incredible it would feel when the mage pushed into Artemis to the hilt. The spirit's rumbling cry of pleasure eclipsed Anders' upon feeling himself deeply encased within Artemis, and his glowing, blue eye was wide in ecstatic shock.

Artemis' thumb brushed over Justice's cheek. "Justice?" she asked with worry in spite of all the pleasure she felt. "Are you-?" Her words were cut off and replaced with a stifled, squeak of surprise as her lips were claimed in a deep, heated kiss. Her eyes widened briefly before fluttering closed as she clung to the body on top of her. She wrapped her legs around Anders' waist and dug her nails into his back-giving herself over completely to the primal intensity of what the three of them were sharing.

Anders' eyes widened before shutting tightly as he was overpowered with a pleasure more intense than any he had ever before felt. After all, with Justice now actively participating, Anders was now feeling the pleasure of _two_. "Maker...sweet breath of the Maker...!" he managed to groan before giving himself over completely to the rut-driving into his wife with hard, deep thrusts. He cried out in ecstasy as Artemis bit his shoulder then responded in kind by giving her a bite of his own.

Artemis cried out at the pleasure-pain and tightened her legs around Anders' waist and her inner walls tightened intermittently around her husband's length. "Yes...!" she whispered breathlessly. "Anders...Justice..._yes_!"

Growling, Anders pulled Artemis' legs loose from around his waist and pulled out of her. Turning his wife over onto her hands and knees, he waited all of two seconds before pushing into her once more and filling her with one thrust. Gripping her hips tightly, Anders thrust wildly into Artemis as his head lolled backwards-loud, wordless groans and grunts escaping him in an unworldly, dual voice as both he and Justice made their pleasure known. The room crackled and thrummed with magical energy and glowed blue.

"M..Missy...!" Anders grunted as his own pleasure fed off of Justice's. Maker, it felt like he was going to drown!

"Artemis...!" Justice growled as he became overwhelmed the sheer intensity of what he was experiencing through Anders.

"Anders...Justice...!" Artemis threw her head back with a wordless scream of euphoria as her entire body shook and her back arched hard with the intensity of her release.

Anders' paused in his thrusts for a mere heartbeat before he was slamming into Artemis with reckless abandon as his wife's inner walls frantically milked him of his seed. The entire room exploded in blue-white light, and the otherworldly, dual roar of Anders and Justice reverberated through the room as their own release slammed into them with the strength of a Qunari. Gradually, Anders' thrusts slowed into a lazy rocking as he emptied himself completely into Artemis' waiting womb. When the last drop of his seed left him, he slowly pulled out of his wife and helped her down onto her side before settling himself breathlessly beside her.

"That was..." Artemis panted as she slowly shifted onto her back-her limbs quivering like jelly. "Maker, that was..."

"I know..." Anders panted as his trembling hand found his wife's. "Are you...are you alright, Missy?" he asked worriedly. "I've never been that rough with you before. I...I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Artemis turned her head and smiled lovingly at her husband. "No, my love," she murmured. "But perhaps...perhaps in light of just how...intense this was...we should save this threesome of ours for _special_ occasions..." Artemis said breathlessly. "Because if we do this on a regular basis...I don't think my legs will ever work properly again...not even with your healing," she added with a husky chuckle.

Anders chuckled and grinned. "I...agree." His hand gave Artemis' a gentle, affectionate squeeze.

"I never knew this mortal act could be so..._powerful_..." Justice's voice rumbled out of Anders' mouth.

Artemis smiled. "It _is_ powerful. It's capable of both creating new life as well as toppling governments. "

"I now know why so many people fall prey to the desire demons," Justice replied.

Letting go of Anders' hand, Artemis rolled onto her side and draped arm and leg over Anders' body. She lovingly nuzzled her husband's jaw before propping herself up on her elbow so she could gaze down at his face and effectively look Justice in the eye. "_That's_ different. What desire demons offer isn't real. It could _never_ effectively duplicate what the three of us just shared...the trust that was involved, or the true connection between a husband and a wife as they try to create a new life from their love."

"But the desire Anders feels for you is so very great," Justice stated-not fully understanding Artemis' point.

Artemis smiled. "As is mine for him," she murmured before tenderly kissing her husband's normal cheek. She returned her gaze to Justice and lightly traced her fingers over his blue-lined cheek. "And the desire he and I feel for each other stems from the deep love that we have for each other." She lightly rubbed her nose against his. "What we just did...this threesome of ours, I would _never_ have agreed to do that with anyone else. No desire demon could ever truly replicate that level of love and trust that I have for Anders," she said before kissing Anders softly. "Because without that love...without the unwavering trust we share, everything that we just did would be meaningless." She kissed him again.

As Anders wrapped his arms around Artemis and kissed her back with fervor, Justice could feel his host's fathomless love and desire for the woman in his arms as though it were his own. Having been party to Anders' thoughts and feelings for Hawke from the very first moment they met, Justice knew only too well how protective the mage was of the rogue and that he would do anything for her. Justice knew now that he would do the same. He _would_ drown the city in blood if it meant keeping Artemis safe. Taking control of Anders' right hand, Justice gently cradled the back of Artemis' head, and what resembled a deep purr of delight rumbled in Anders' chest as Justice opened himself up to fully enjoying the kiss.

When the kiss broke, Artemis smiled and lightly rubbed her nose against Anders' before kissing both cheeks. "I love you," she murmured before kissing her husband's lips-her palm tenderly cupping Justice's cheek. Drawing away slowly, she carefully rolled off the table and found her footing. "I'd best go check on tonight's meal," she said with a smile-her entire body still flushed with afterglow. "I won't be long."

"I could heal that for you, Missy," Anders said with residual breathlessness as he motioned to the bite mark on his wife's shoulder while propping himself up on one elbow.

Artemis glanced at her shoulder then smiled as she returned her gaze to her husband. "No need...I like it."

Anders tilted his head to the side. "Really?" he asked with a small smile.

Artemis nodded and her smile stayed in place. "Yes. I like being marked by you," she said pointedly while gazing deeply into both the glowing blue eye and the warm amber one. Not bothering with her clothes, she turned on her heel and padded towards the doorway that led to the kitchen.

Anders slowly let out a breath. "She never ceases to amaze me. She is magnificent..." he murmured with a loving smile as he watched Artemis pad away into the kitchen-completely at home with her nakedness. "A truly beautiful and magnificent creature that was gifted to me by the Maker."

Justice's voice rumbled in Anders' mind. _She_ **_is_** _that...magnificent in every way._

"Maker, how I love that woman," Anders murmured fervently as he slowly sat up. "There isn't anything I wouldn't for her."

_You are no longer alone in that sentiment._

"And she is _mine_," Anders murmured with a smile. "_Mine_..."

Justice purred audibly in Anders' mind. _She belongs to the both of us, my friend. She is ours._ **_Ours_**_._

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** If you're a fan of Dragon Age as well as of my writing, _please_ check out my newly-published novel, _Dragon Guardian: Fire_, the first novel in my Dragon Guardian series. The link for the website can be found on my profile page!


	3. Child of the Fade

I don't own anything pertaining to Dragon Age...unfortunately :(

* * *

><p><strong>Child of the Fade<strong>

* * *

><p>Sitting in bed with pillows propped behind her, Artemis gazed down at the tiny, sleeping bundle in her arms with a look of awe, as tears of euphoric exhaustion rolled down her cheeks. It had been a long labor...twelve hours of contractions and then an hour of pushing before little Malcolm finally came into the world, but <em>none<em> of that mattered now. _All_ that mattered now was the precious, tiny body nestled in the protection of her arms, and how she had loved him unconditionally the moment Anders placed him upon her bosom for warmth once he had guided him out into the world...

The tiny, helpless body that she would protect with her dying breath.

"Hello, my little boy," Artemis whispered tiredly with a loving smile. "I'm your mother...I love you more than you will ever know." She lightly touched her nose to her son's before letting her head fall against Anders' shoulder. "As does your father," she added with her voice still in a whisper.

Seated beside on the bed beside his beloved, Anders had an arm wrapped around Artemis' shoulders as he held her close. He brushed the fingertips of his free hand over his son's cheek with painstaking gentleness. "I have delivered many babies over the years, my love. I have experienced the miracle of life again and again...but nothing could have prepared me for just how powerful and life-affirming it would be to bring my own child into the world," he murmured.

"I know he's only been in this world for a matter of minutes...not even a full hour yet, but I already can't imagine my life without him," Artemis whispered.

"Neither can I," Anders answered softly as he gazed down at their sleeping son with a warm, proud smile. "Our little boy...even if we are only ever fortunate enough to have _one_child, I will still know happiness because our little Malcolm has completed our lives and made us a family."

Artemis smiled before setting her jaw. "I will protect him with my life," she said firmly. "Anyone who would dare to hurt our son will know the wrath of my bow."

"Not if they feel the burn of my lightning first," Anders said darkly.

Artemis was silent in thought for a few moments. "When will we learn if he is a mage?" She smiled softly. "Magic runs strongly in my family, and with _you_ being a mage, I have a feeling he will be one as well."

Anders gave a small shrug. "It depends. Some children show signs earlier than others...but even if our son has no magical talents, I will love him fiercely." He tenderly kissed the top of Artemis' head. "He has your eyes," he murmured.

"His eyes are _blue_, my love," Artemis corrected gently.

"There is a strong, green tint, Missy," Anders murmured with a smile. "Our son will eventually have your beautiful, emerald eyes and I couldn't be happier about that."

Artemis' smile remained on place. "I hope he has your nose."

Anders blinked. "My _nose_?"

Artemis gave a small nod before raising her head just enough so she could brush a light kiss to the tip of Anders' nose. "I've always loved your nose...the lines, the straightness of it. It's a wonderful nose..." She kissed it again. "But I hope he doesn't have your mouth."

Anders quizzically raised an eyebrow. "Do you not like my mouth?"

"Quite the contrary. I _love_ it...as if all the time I spend kissing you wasn't proof of that," she added cheekily. "That little grin of yours does me in every single time. It makes me agree to anything...and if our son inherits your mouth, all he would have to do is give me that grin and I would look the other way whenever he did something wrong. I would never be able to discipline him," she admitted sheepishly.

Anders chuckled softly. "I see." He lovingly tucked his wife's crimson hair behind her ear. "Well then, in that case, Missy, if our son does something naughty and gives you that look, you send him to _me_, and I will hand out the discipline that is warranted." He tenderly kissed Artemis' soft lips. "I give you my word."

Artemis' smile grew and she lightly rubbed her nose against Anders' before letting her head fall upon his shoulder once more. "Our son is _so_ beautiful," she whispered. "And he will become even more so as he grows." She suppressed a yawn.

It did not go unnoticed by Anders.

His arm briefly tightened around Artemis as he lovingly kissed her forehead. "You should get some sleep, my love," he murmured as he began shifting so he could take Malcolm into his own arms.

"No," Artemis protested weakly as her arms tightened around her son. "I want to look at him a bit more. After nine months of waiting to meet him..."

Anders' smile was warm and radiated the love he felt for the two people in front of him. "My love, your labor was long, and in spite of my healing magic, your body still needs to rest. We can't have you falling asleep with Malcolm in your arms and risk dropping him, now can we?" His tone was gentle.

Artemis pouted. "No, we can't," she agreed grudgingly.

"I promise he will be safe with me," Anders said.

Artemis smiled. "I know he will. You're his father...I _know_ you will take care of him."

"Then say goodbye for now, Missy," Anders urged gently. "Don't worry...he'll be awake and eager for his first meal within a few hours," he added with a smile. "You'll be free to cuddle him as much as you want then."

Artemis turned her smile to Malcolm, and she lightly rubbed her nose against his. "Farewell for now, my precious boy. I'll see you again soon." She carefully handed the newborn over to his father. "Don't have too much fun with daddy while I'm not around to see it." She shifted down upon the bed and made her head comfortable upon the pillows.

Anders grinned cheekily while accepting the tiny bundle into the protection of his arms. "I promise we will only read very boring books and take inventory of my herbs while you're asleep, my love," he said with a wink as Ser Pounce and Lady Whiskers both jumped up onto the bed. Having been little more than tiny balls of fur hanging off bones when Anders and Artemis first found them two months ago, the two kittens were now healthy and well-fed with gleaming coats, and neither of them scarcely left the sides of their masters. "You'll have our two furry ones to guard you while you sleep," he added with a fond chuckle.

Artemis chuckled as her eyes began drifting closed-her hands seeking out the two balls of fur that were nestling against her sides. "I'm glad we found them..." she murmured before drifting off to sleep.

Sitting on the edge of the bed with Malcolm in his arms, Anders smiled as he gazed upon his sleeping wife for a few moments longer. "I love you, Missy," he whispered. "Our son could not have asked for a better mother," he added before turning his gaze to Malcolm and lightly rubbing his nose against his. "So, your mother hopes that you have my nose, hmm?" he mused with an absent smile as he slowly shifted off the bed and stood. "Well, my son...I can honestly say that regardless of which of us you look like down the road, you could do worse for yourself," he said in a soft voice as he slowly strode away from the bed. "At the risk of sounding conceited, I _am_ rather easy on the eyes, and your mother...well, your mother is the _most_ beautiful woman I have ever had the pleasure to know." His smile grew. "You and I are both fortunate to have her in our lives. Remind me to tell you that story someday..."

* * *

><p>Artemis knew she was in the Fade. How often had she opened her eyes to find herself in the blurred, muted version of her and Anders' bedroom during her 'special' times with Justice? More times than she could count, but Artemis did not mind. The repetitiveness of location aside, the intimacy she and Justice shared never lacked in intensity or passion.<p>

But this time was different.

This time, when Artemis opened her eyes, it was not to find Justice gazing down at her from his place beside her on the bed; rather, it was to find him standing by Malcolm's crib with the newborn cradled in his arms-his solid, blue gaze fixated upon the small form in his arms. _S_lowly sitting up, Artemis watched the strangely paternal scene before her silently for a few moments. Were it not for the blue glow emanating from Anders' form, it would have looked like it was her husband holding their son instead of the spirit.

"I never pictured you for being one for babies," Artemis mused with a small smile as she slipped from the bed and made her way over to the pair.

Justice slowly raised his gaze and turned it towards Artemis. "I thought it best to meet the child I had a hand in creating," his deep, rumbling voice answered simply.

Artemis blinked then blushed softly in the apples of her cheeks when she caught sight of what looked like a small smirk. "It's true...Malcolm _was_ conceived on the night you joined Anders and me in our lovemaking," she said upon reaching Justice's side.

"That is not of all that I speak," Justice replied. "I speak of the Taint in Anders' blood. Having me inside of him has weakened the Taint and made it possible for the two of you to create this new life." He turned his gaze back to Malcolm.

Artemis was silent for a few moments as she mulled over what Justice had just said. "I suppose that makes Malcolm partially yours," she murmured with a small smile as she nestled against Justice and gently cupped her palm to the back of her son's head.

"Such innocence..." Justice mused.

Artemis' smile grew and she let her head fall against Justice's shoulder. "_All_ babies are born innocent," she murmured. "You'll never find a more pure soul than a baby...they come into the world completely unsullied, and completely helpless. It falls to the parents to protect them from the evils of the world, and keep them safe from harm."

"This child..._our_ child, _will_ be safe from harm, fair Artemis," Justice rumbled softly. "As you and Anders keep him safe in the physical world, so too will I keep him safe in the Fade while he sleeps. Our child _will_ be protected."

Smiling, Artemis raised her head so she could brush a kiss against Justice's lips. "Yes, Justice," she murmured. "Our child will be protected."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** If you're a fan of Dragon Age as well as of my writing, _please_ check out my newly-published novel, _Dragon Guardian: Fire_, the first novel in my Dragon Guardian series. The link for the website can be found on my profile page!


End file.
